Justice Daniel Osiagor of a Lagos Federal High Court, has ordered the remand of a businessman, Joseph Okwudili Umezugha, at the Ikoyi Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS).

Justice Osiagor made the remand order against businessman, after he pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, forgery and N66 million fraud, made against him by the police from Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.

The businessman and others now at large, according to the prosecutor, Mr. Justine Enang, sometimes in January 2022, conspired among themselves and fraudlently obtained the sum of N66 million, from one Uchechukwu Umeh Elxor, by false pretence that of joining them to promote their business.

Enang told the court that for the defendant to successfully make the victim believes his words, claimed to be the owner Saint Joes International Agency Limited and Jessicas Global International & Suits Limited.

The prosecutor also told the court that in perfecting the alleged fraud, the defendant forged a Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) with Registration number 62 at Page 62 in Volume 2014, dated 10tb day of May, 2014, which they usee to prejudiced the fraud victim, Uchechukwu Umeh Elxor.

He told the court that the offences committed by the defendant contravened sections 8(a) and 1(i)(a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud related Offences Act, No. 14, of 2006. And Section 15(2)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act, 2011) as Amended in 2012.

He also told the court that the forgery offence committed by the defendant, is punishable under Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap. M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014.

The businessman pleaded not guilty to the charges.

With his not guilty plea, the prosecutor asked the court for trial date, while also urged the court to remand the defendant, till the determination of the charges against him.

But the businessman’s lawyer, Mr. C. O. Abubu, told the court that he had filed and served his client’s bail application on the prosecutor.

Responding, the prosecutor told the court he was just served with the application while in court, and he needed time to respond to the application.

Following the submission of the parties, Justice Osiagor ordered that the defendant be remanded in NCoS’ custody till June 4, for trial.